Expanding their lanes: Lions Center for the Visually Impaired takes them bowling

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

During the work week, you can find a lot of retired senior citizens spending their time bowling, their relaxed way of staying active. But for those from the Lions Center for the Visually Impaired, bowling for them presents a different challenge – bowling with the inability to see down the lane.

“For our clients who are blind and visually impaired, or the terms that we use, that’s part of their everyday life,” said Richard Grange, an activities and marketing coordinator with the Lions Center for the Visually Impaired. “I think our clients enjoy things that maybe they haven’t done in many years, and maybe almost didn’t feel like they had a chance to do it, so it’s out of the realm of possibilities.

“Things that we might take for granted, our clients don’t.”

On Tuesday, the center brought 16 senior bowlers, who have a visual impairment, to play a round of bowling together at the Delta Bowl in Antioch. The excur- sion is part of the center’s bi-monthly activity outing. They all get together every Tuesday for activities at the center. However, the group goes on a field trip of sorts every other month. In December, they went to the Jelly Belly factory, this past month was the trip to Delta Bowl, and in April the Lions Center is planning a trip to the Oakland Zoo. The center is careful to plan where they all go while trying to cater to their clients’ specific needs.

“Things that are visual are difficult,” Grange said. “Audio or things you can touch are better, or maybe having someone there volunteer to describe what’s going on.”

The group has their own sense of camaraderie as well. Most of the group knows one another and on Tuesday, they were all cheering for one another as well.

“This group has maybe three or four people on their first time coming to an activity,” Grange said. “But the majority have been to previous ones and some come every week to our Tuesday activities.”

“They’ll help each other, greet each other and then even escort people who need additional help because they al- ready know each other,” Mona Silveira, the other activities and marketing coordinators added.

Despite having visual impairments, senior citizens with the Lions Center for the Visually Impaired took to the lanes at Antioch’s Delta Bowl Tuesday morning.

If you want to join or volunteer at the

Lions Center for the Visually Impaired, call 925-432-3013.

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